New orders for manufactured goods in September, up two of the last three months, increased $22.0 billion or 4.8 percent to $475.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. This followed a 5.1 percent August decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 1.4 percent.

Shipments, up two of the last three months, increased $4.1 billion or 0.9 percent to $481.3 billion. This followed a 0.2 percent August decrease. Unfilled orders, up three of the last four months, increased $1.7 billion or 0.2 percent to $981.0 billion. This followed a 1.7 percent August decrease. The unfilled orders-to-shipments ratio was 6.24, down from 6.28 in August.

Inventories, up three consecutive months, increased $3.7 billion or 0.6 percent to $615.7 billion. This was at the highest level since the series was first published on a NAICS basis in 1992 and followed a 0.6 percent August increase. The inventories-to-shipments ratio was 1.28, unchanged from August.